You Can Adopt

Welcome to episode 23 of the You Can Adopt podcast. Debbie Bright, mum of four, has fostered over 200 children over the last 30 years. She has looked after children of all ages, with a variety of needs, and for variable periods of time. Her and her husband, Dave, did this while raising their birth children Lydia, Georgia, Romana and Freddie. Lydia Bright, TV personality, influencer

Welcome to episode 22 of the You Can Adopt podcast. In this episode, TV presenter, culture expert and adopted person Nick Ede speaks to Samantha, who is part of three generations of adopted people. As a special episode for National Adoption Week, the episode explores how adoption has changed through the decades, through the voices of two people who have seen or heard first-hand how

Welcome to episode 21 of the You Can Adopt podcast, hosted by actor Jimmy Akingbola. In his 2022 ITV documentary ‘Handle with Care’, Jimmy explores his journey through the care system, and his experience of being fostered long-term by a white British family – particularly around themes of identity, the importance of role models, and cultural connection. In this episode, Jimmy

Welcome to Episode 20 of the You Can Adopt podcast, hosted by former children’s social worker and Love Island winner, Sanam Harrinanan. In this episode, Sanam speaks to Emma, who adopted two children with her husband, to explore the theme of the support available to adopters. There are a variety of support services available to adopters throughout their journey, from therapeutic

Welcome to episode 19 of the You Can Adopt podcast, hosted by radio DJ Pandora Christie, who speaks to guest Jonny about his experience of adopting through early permanence. Early permanence refers to the situation where children in care are placed in a permanent family home at the earliest opportunity to prevent additional moves between carers. A child would be placed into care wi

Welcome to episode 18 of the You Can Adopt podcast, hosted by actor and activist Charlie Condou, who speaks to couple Adam and Daniyal, who adopted their son, about adopting as a same sex couple. They discuss being LGBTQ+ parents, the process of adoption, the support they received along the way, and how they came to adopt. Charlie Condou, ex Coronation Street actor and LGBTQ+ activ

Welcome to episode 17 of the You Can Adopt podcast, hosted by Debbie, a returning host to the podcast, talking to mother and daughter Lizzy and Lilybelle about their experience of adoption, growing up with foster carers, and maintaining contact with foster and birth families. Debbie and her husband Dave have fostered over 200 children over the span of 30 years, after ‘falling’

Welcome to episode 16 of the You Can Adopt podcast, hosted by BBC Presenter Ashley John-Baptiste, talking to Jamal, who was adopted at the age of three. They share memories of their lives as children growing up – for Ashley in the care system, and for Jamal being transracially adopted by his two mums. They discuss their heritage, belonging, and how they found their identities thr

In this 15th episode of the podcast, Carrie and David Grant are joined by parents of 3, Kathryn and Adrian, to talk about their experiences of adopting children that face the greatest delays in finding a home. Today also marks the launch of ‘A Life Less Ordinary’, a new campaign from You Can Adopt, to encourage the public to think differently about adoption and these children w

This week, Ashley John-Baptiste, BBC reporter and presenter, who grew up in foster care, meets Luke, who was adopted at the age of three. In this 14th episode of the podcast, Ashley and Luke explore their early memories of growing up, how Luke settled into life with his adoptive parents, being adopted with one of his birth siblings, his connection with his other birth siblings, and